Breaking: Olmert won't quit; Barak considering emergency government with Likud
Last night, I reported that Defense Minister Ehud Barak was considering handing Prime Minister Ehud K. Olmert an ultimatum: Olmert quits or Barak and Labor leave the government. That ultimatum is now expected to be delivered at approximately 1:30 Israel time - about two hours from now. But Olmert has no intention of quitting, and Barak is considering a temporary emergency government with the Likud. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will not quit despite the illicit funding investigation against him, since such a move wound be tantamount to an admission of guilt, the prime minister's strategic adviser, Tal Zilberstein, said Wednesday.The reason Barak may be considering a temporary emergency government with the Likud is that the fastest way to bring down the government would be to get 61 MK's to vote to bring down the government and agree on a Prime Minister for a new government. But Barak is currently not eligible to become Prime Minister, because he is not a member of the Knesset. Thus Barak would agree with Netanyahu to bring down the government, make Netanyahu Prime Minister and have an agreed election date (probably in September) as part of the deal. Sounds good to me.
It followed reports that Defense Minister Ehud Barak planned to present Olmert with an ultimatum at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon: Either the premier resign, or Labor will pull out of the coalition, thus forcing new elections.
"Olmert has made a firm decision to continue serving as prime minister, I say this on the basis of a conversation I had with him a short time ago," Zilberstein told Army Radio. "He has no intention of suspending himself or making any sort of announcement, not at this juncture and not any stage while he is in the process of proving his innocence."
Following consultations held by Barak late Tuesday night, Israel Radio reported that one of the options being considered by the defense minster was the formation of an emergency government with Likud.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 11:31 AM
2 Comments:
Ehud Barak has realized Ehud Olmert is damaging his "Mr. Clean" image and its time for him to get out. Olmert has now become a political liability and its just a matter of time before Kadima dumps him. They don't want to be on the outside looking in with the Likud running the country. The only question left is whether Olmert will go of his own accord or if he will be forced out. At the moment, it looks like the latter scenario but things could change in the next day or two.
NormanF,
I'm not sure Kadima has a way to force him out other than bringing down the government. The process of calling new party elections would probably take too long.
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